Traditionally, Chinese political culture has used
the arts to propagate ideals of correct behavior and thought. This
practice did not stop with the establishment of the People's Republic
of China in 1949. On the contrary, propaganda art continued to be seen
as one of the major means to explain and illustrate the 'correct'
policies of the moment and the Communist Party's visions of the future.
Thus, it reinforced the messages passed on by other media such as
newspapers, film and radio broadcasting.
Through its complete control of both the artists and
the publishing sector, the CCP was able to force its interpretation of
reality and aesthetics on the population. As opposed to other images
that were used traditionally to decorate the home with, propaganda came
to dominate society and penetrated the lowest levels of social
organization and cohabitation: the multi-colored posters could be seen
hanging on walls in people's houses and dormitories. In a society where
not much else was available, their composition and visual content
appealed to the spectators, while their political message was passed on
in an almost subconscious manner.
Chinese propaganda art made extensive use of
Socialist Realism, not only to show 'life as it really is,' but also
'life as it ought to be,' to instruct the viewers in the revolutionary
development taking place 'in the spirit of Socialism.' This made
Chinese propaganda art a type of artistic faction, a mixture of fact and fiction, stressing the
positive and papering over anything negative.
Particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, in the era of mass movements such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution,
the posters were dominated by hyper-realistic, larger-than-life
peasants, soldiers and workers in dynamic and often aggressive poses,
proclaiming the universal applicability of Mao Zedong Thought,
rooting out traitors and spies, struggling for the victory of
socialism, achieving successes in industry and agriculture, or
defending the nation.
In order to portray every subject as a hero, the
physical distinction between male and female bodies often disappeared,
leading to figures with standard bodies, including absurdly big hands
and feet, with slightly different, but
usually stereotyped heads.
The decline in poster propaganda started in the early 1980s. Under Deng Xiaoping, who succeeded
Hua Guofeng who succeeded Mao at the helm
of the PRC, the economic rehabilitation of China became the CCP’s
main consideration. Moreover, China opened itself to the West. Now,
posters had to be designed to create public support for the new
policies that made up the reform package. This had enormous
consequences for propaganda. The themes became less heroic and
militant, and more impressionistic, while bold colours were replaced
with more subdued ones. The people did no longer have to struggle
against class enemies, but were urged to adopt more cultured and
educated lifestyles. Design techniques borrowed from Western
advertising were employed again frequently.
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The use of science-fiction images, as a backdrop for
the messages of economic development, gave the posters a truly utopian
quality. Struggle was no longer the theme propagated, and the people
were urged to be more careful, civilized,
cultured and courteous instead.
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In the reform era, posters have lost their
credibility and appeal, and increasingly are considered to be
old-fashioned. After the Tian'anmen Incident of 1989, propaganda
posters were produced that stressed obedience and other qualities that
no longer corresponded with the harsh reality of mass unemployment,
cut-throat competition, and increasing inequality. Yet, they continue
to be published, for example for special events such as the Hong Kong Handover of 1997, the fiftieth
anniversary of the founding of the PRC (se the image below), and the
resumption of sovereignty over Macao,
both in 1999.
People who before bought posters now see then as
old-fashioned, or too tainted by their earlier political usage, even
though their subject matter has been brought in line with topics that
are considered to be more in tune with the rapidly changing times,
social circumstances, and popular taste. It should be no wonder that
their numbers and the size of their editions have decreased
dramatically, as has the number of Chinese buying them.
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Another indication of changing notions of artistic
and aesthetic permissiveness was the reemergence of "calendar
girl"-designs, such as the one below. Originally designed by Jin Meisheng, one of the masters of yuefenpai 月份牌 design, the Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House put
it on the market in 1989.
Indeed, in a society in the throes of realizing
"socialism with Chinese characteristics", where assertiveness is
increasingly valued, the people are convinced they can gain little by
following the official examples of self-sacrifice presented by the
government. The role of posters as providers of information, as educational tools, has been
strenghtened. The SARS-crisis
of 2003 saw the publication of rather large numbers of posters, most of
them containing clear educational information about how to avoid
contamination, and what to do once contamination had taken place.
Similarly, posters giving information about HIV/AIDS have appeared.
s.r.landsberger@let.leidenuniv.nl
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